


The Three of Us

by SugdenLovesDingle



Series: Aaron week 2017 [7]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Aaron accepts Seb, M/M, making it work, with a little borrowed plot sock from coira
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-12
Updated: 2017-11-12
Packaged: 2019-02-01 07:56:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12700653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SugdenLovesDingle/pseuds/SugdenLovesDingle
Summary: Aaron week day 7 - free choice





	The Three of Us

**Author's Note:**

> Ok like it says in the tags, this is Aaron accepting Seb. If you don't like that, don't read this fic.  
> I wrote this when the first *written* eastie spoilers surfaced about Seb and the birth so it's a little different from how things actually went down in the eps.  
> I don't know if this is what Emmerdale are planning with this storyline, I don't know if show!Aaron will accept this kid, I don't know if he'll be around long enough for Aaron to even have to think about accepting him, I am not even convinced he's actually Rob's and I've given up trying to predict where this mess is going... BUT in this fic the twist is that there is no twist and Seb is Rob's and Aaron accepts him. Let's just keep it at that.

“What? No Rebecca I… No! I don’t have any of his stuff with me!”

Aaron looked up when he heard the slight panic in Robert’s voice. He’d seen him pushing a pram around the village and after the initial shock had worn off, they’d sat down and talked. Really talked. They still loved each other, that much was obvious to everyone, but things were… complicated. So they’d decided to stick to being mates. Even though they were so much more to each other than just friends.

Sebastian was about six weeks old. Aaron knew that because Vic kept the village updated on her nephew on a daily basis. It had hurt at first but now he found himself almost looking forward to her updates. It also helped Seb was a pretty cute kid.

“Rebecca! No, no, no… you can’t do this to me! Don’t! No don’t hang up! Reb- Damn it!” Robert swore and slammed his hand down on the pram handle bar in frustration. Which in turn woke up Seb who immediately started crying. 

“No, come on Seb, don’t do this. I’m sorry for waking you up, ok, daddy is an idiot. I know. I’m sorry.” Robert said as he picked his son up and started bouncing him up and down in his arms slightly. “Just calm down, it’s ok. I’m not angry at you. Please stop crying or I’ll start too.”

Robert held the little boy close to his chest and pressed his lips to the top of his head while making shushing noises. Sebastian didn’t seem impressed and kept screaming and wriggling in Robert’s arms.

Aaron looked at the two of them and bit his lip to stop himself from smiling at the sight. Fatherhood looked good on Robert.

“He’s lost his sock.” Aaron called out when he noticed one of Seb’s feet was bare. With Christmas right around the corner and winter well and truly having kicked in, it was way too cold for anyone to go outside without various layers of clothing, let alone a six week old baby.

Robert looked down at his son’s feet and sighed when he noticed the missing item of clothing.

“Thanks.” He replied and looked around before noticing the sock on the ground and trying to pick it up while also holding Seb in his arms.

“I’ll get it.” Aaron said and jogged over to them. He picked the sock up and instead of handing it to Robert, he put it back on Seb’s foot. “There. It’s too cold for bare feet today, mate.”

“Thanks.” Robert said again and gave Aaron a small smile.

“No problem.” Aaron replied, suddenly overly aware of the fact he still had his hand on Seb’s leg. He moved his hand and cleared his throat. “You alright?”

“Define alright…” Robert sighed and looked at this son. “It looks like it’s just you and me for Christmas mate.”

“You’re not invited to Christmas dinner at the family mansion?”

“They’re his family. Not mine.” Robert replied, the words almost a reflex. “And no, there will be no Christmas dinner at Home Farm. They’ve left.”

“Left? What do you mean left?”

“Rebecca just called to tell me to keep him with me because she had to get away for a few days.”

“What? When will she be back? Doesn’t she want to spend Christmas with her son?”

“I don’t know. I have no idea what’s going on. She called this morning asking if I wanted to take him for a few hours while she went to Leeds with Chrissie for some last minute Christmas shopping… and now she needs me to take care of him for a few days.” Robert said, frustration heavy in his voice. “I don’t have anything for him. Just the stuff in his bag. A few nappies and wipes and his bottle. I don’t even have clothes for him other than the ones he’s wearing now. I only see him at Home Farm. I’m a terrible father.”

“Hey, calm down. You’re no use to him if you talk yourself into a panic attack.” Aaron said, putting his hand on Robert’s arm. “You look like you could use a coffee and Seb probably wants some warmth too. Let’s go in, yeah?” He said and nodded at the café.

“But… what about…” Robert trailed off, briefly flicking his eyes down at the little boy in his arms.

“Last time I checked Bob allowed babies in there.” Aaron joked and started pushing the pram across the street, Robert and Seb following behind.

Thankfully it wasn’t too busy and they sat down on of one of the sofas.

“I’ll get the drinks in.” Aaron said and walked up to the counter to order. “Americano and a tea please Bob.”

“Coming right up. Sit down, I’ll bring it over to you.” Bob replied after doing a double take when he saw who Aaron was with.

“Cheers.”

Aaron sat down in one of the armchairs on opposite of Robert, who was still holding Seb.

“Don’t you want to put him down?”

Robert shook his head.

“He’ll scream the place down if I do. He doesn’t like being in there if he’s awake and it’s not moving.”

“He likes being chauffeured around then? Likes the finer things in life? Just like his dad.” Aaron teased.

“Shut up. I only ever drive you around.” Robert laughed. “Drove…”

They sat in uncomfortable silence for a minute, both looking at the baby so they wouldn’t have to look each other in the eye.

“There you go. One Americano and one tea.” Bob said, putting the drinks on the table between them. “Oh is that junior?” He asked Robert.

“Sebastian, yeah. Seb.”

Bob nodded.

“Haven’t seen you in here with him yet. He must be about two months now, right?”

“Six weeks.”

“Right, right. Exciting times now, eh? His first Christmas. I remember the first Christmas with my lot, - ”

“I think you have some customers waiting there Bob.” Aaron cut in, nodding at Faith who had just walked in chatting to Laurel.

“Oh, right. Excuse me.” He said and quickly stroked Seb’s cheek with one finger before returning to his spot behind the counter.

“So uhm, how long did Rebecca say she’d be gone for?”

“I don’t know. She said a few days… whatever that means.”

“Ok. So, you have to get through the next few days on your own with him. What do you need?”

“Everything?” Robert said, feeling panic bubbling up inside him again. “I’m living in Vic’s box room again. I have nothing except some clothes and a single bed with a dodgy mattress. I don’t have a bed for him or clothes and the nappies in that bag won’t last longer than a day. And I don’t even know what time Rebecca usually gives him his bottle… or how much to give him or…”

Seb picked up on his father’s anxiety levels rising again and started getting restless too.

Aaron stood up and took Seb from Robert after a quick “Can I?” and a nod from the other man.

“Hey there little one, looks like you’ll be hanging out with your dad for a while.” He told the boy. “He’s pretty fun to be around you know. But don’t tell him I said that, he’s got a big enough head as it is.”

The boy seemed to calm down in Aaron’s arms and carefully take in this new man that was now holding him.

“I think he likes you.” Robert commented. “He doesn’t usually like getting passed around. He gets fussy.”

“Well I’m a top bloke. Obviously he realises that already.” Aaron said, grinning. “Now drink your coffee and calm down. We’ve got to sort out this little man.”

Robert smiled and took a sip of his coffee before realising just what Aaron had said.

“Wait, we?”

“Unless you don’t want my help…”

“I do… but… Seb… I mean…”

“He’s the reason we broke up?”

“Well… yeah.”

“When I found out about him existing… I was in such a bad place…” Aaron sighed. “Not just because of you. You know there was more to it than that.” He added when he saw the pain and sorrow on Robert’s face.

“It didn’t help…”

“No. No it didn’t. I thought my world was ending. That I was going to lose you to her. That you were going to decide you wanted to be with her. Be a family with her.”

“I never wanted that. Never will. You and Liv are my family. Always. I swear.”

“I know. I know that now. I thought I could never look at him and not be reminded of how and when he was conceived. That I’d always hate him. And I did. At first. When he was born. It hurt so much, seeing you walk through those doors and away from me…”

“I’m sorry…”

Aaron shook his head.

“No, don’t apologise. We weren’t together. We weren’t even on speaking terms. I just went home, told Liv to stay with Zak and Lisa for the night, and drank myself stupid until I passed out on the sofa.”

“That’s pretty much what I did too.”

“I broke up with you in the summer because I couldn’t see a way out. I couldn’t see how I’d ever be able to accept the fact that you had a baby with someone else…” Aaron paused and looked down at the little boy in his arms. Seb seemed perfectly content to be held by him and it made him smile. “But I’m better now. Counselling helped a lot. It made me realise that whatever happened between us and between you and Rebecca, it’s not fair to take it out on him. He didn’t ask to be born into this mess.”

“What are you saying?” Robert asked, trying not to get his hopes up.

“I’m saying I miss you. And that I want to be a part of your life again. Of both your lives. If you’ll let me.”

“What? Yes, of course, but… I don’t want you to feel like you have to accept Seb or… just… settle for taking him on… ”

“I’m not.” Aaron said resolutely. “I’ve thought about it a lot. I talked about it with my counsellor and even with Liv… I’ll never like Rebecca and what happened with you and her will always hurt a little… but I’ve decided I do want you, both of you, in my life… if you want that too.”

Robert beamed.

“I do. More than anything.”

Aaron smiled and got up to sit down next to Robert, Seb perfectly happy in his arms.

“I was hoping you’d say that.” He said and leaned in and kissed the other man.

“I’ve missed you so much” Robert half whispered, leaning his forehead against Aaron’s after they broke the kiss.

“I missed you too.”

“Aww look at that.” Faith cooed. “Don’t you three make a pretty picture.”

**Author's Note:**

> I was kind of nervous about this one so kudos/comments if you liked it are very welcome!


End file.
